Bromfield water, sewer rates go up on Feb. 1

Beginning Feb. 1, water and sewer rates and sewer license fees in Broomfield will increase.

City Council on Tuesday approved a package of rate increases meant to help cover the rising costs of utilities expenses. Broomfield is dipping into its savings to cover utilities expenses and hasn't raised rates in four years.

Deputy City and County Manager Kevin Standbridge said the decision was not made lightly. Council members and staff held multiple meetings and pored over plans to find the best way to gently raise the rates.

"This is the culmination of extensive analysis," he said.

Average households will see a 7 percent increase in water rates and a 13 percent increase in sewer rates, plus a $2 per month fee to fund the state's new water quality regulations set to go into effect in 2018.

Combined increases would take an average water and sewer bill from $49.86 a month to $55.91, according to a memo from staff.

Broken down, the residential flat monthly water service charge will go from $8.74 to $9.35 per dwelling unit, and the charge for water use per 1,000 gallons will go from $2.80 to $3.

For sewer rates, residents will pay a monthly charge of $12.48 instead of $11.04, based on 4,000 gallons. They also will pay a monthly volume charge of $3.12 per 1,000 gallons for usage over 4,000 gallons instead of $2.76.

A new item on bill will be a $2 environmental compliance fee, which is meant to help gradually save up for for costly federal environmental compliance regulations that will go into effect in 2018.

Sewer license fees also will increase. Homebuilders will see a 49 percent jump in sewer fees -- an average of $12,559 instead of $8,427, according to the memo.

Members of the Home Builders Association sent a letter to council to speak out against the major increase. CEO Jeffrey Whiton asked council to consider a plan that would defer the major increase.

At the Dec.11 meeting, council voted in favor of a phased system, which allows those who apply for licenses by Feb. 1 and pay for permits by June 30 to pay the 2012 rate of $8,427.

Finance director Pat Soderberg said the rates were designed to increase as unobtrusively as possible, but there is a possibility rates will have to go up incrementally each year to cover operating costs and the cost of implementing new state regulations.

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